Pages

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

It's Just A Tomato -- Or Is It?

"...when asked if it is reasonable to assume that an American who has eaten a fresh tomato from a grocery store or food-service company during the winter has eaten fruit picked by the hand of a slave, Molloy said, “It is not an assumption. It is a fact."

Thanks to my sister for bringing the above story to my attention. As she said:

"From now on I'm going to avoid buying tomatoes from the grocery store...I'll buy local or grow my own...or eat yours...this is so disturbing and upsetting and makes you wonder about the conditions other produce workers deal with...I can't change the world but I don't have to willingly contribute to the suffering of others..."

I also saw this story in USA Today: A 'thimble-ready' cause. It's just a sweater, a blouse, a pair of shoes...isn't it?

Perhaps we should all spend some time in personal reflection about what actions we can take, however small, to make a difference in this world.

A first step could be to find out how we can make our voices heard on these issues.

A second step could be to plant a garden, learn how to knit*, or dust off the sewing machine.

*One of my nieces loves knitting and has become very good at it. Check out her blog, where she mentions her projects, among other things, frequently.